A Title Isn't Necessary
by CycloneJet
Summary: Cheren has always seeked power, but has always been behind her... Never once has he defeated her, and it's been biting at him the whole time. Perhaps she can teach him to be a little more carefree, and will that lead him to his goal?


**_Prologue_**

* * *

_"B-But before you go..!" I called out, reaching out my hand as if I was waking up from a nightmare._

_Hilda stopped in her tracks and turned around to look at me._

_"Before you face N... I need to know you're strong enough."_

_Hilda bit her lip and raised an eyebrow._

_"Please."_

_Hilda seemed to think about it for a second before smirking and nodding. "Alright, Cheren. I accept your challenge."_

She defeated me without even batting an eye.

I looked down, ashamed, but shook my head to clear any thoughts of doubt. "You'll do great. I know it..."

Then she did something that I never expected. She laughed, and rather loudly too.

I cocked my head up in surprise and glared at her with expectancy. Was there something funny that I said?

Upon seeing my reaction, Hilda immediately stopped laughing. She gave me a kind smile and walked up to me. She laid a hand on my shoulder and looked me in the eye. "Cheren. Quit looking down on yourself, and quit looking down on me too. We're both great trainers, but I bet you're asking yourself, 'Why can't I beat her?'" She waited for me to reply.

I shyly nodded my head, my eyes urging her to go on.

"You need to learn how to relax!" she put it simply, throwing her other hand in the air. "Power is great and all, but what is strength if you have no reason to enjoy it?"

Her words... Stunned me? Quite frankly, I didn't even know my own reaction.

She seemed to notice my confusion; she was always sharp on details like that. "Cheren... You're a dear friend, so let me tell you something. As soon as this whole Team Plasma ordeal is over, we're going to go to the amusement park in Nimbasa and go crazy for once." She had determination in her eyes despite the fact that wasting a day was no accomplishment.

"But-!"

She laid her other hand on my other shoulder to stop me from speaking. She looked into my eyes with an even deeper passion. "I'm doing this because I care. Please, for once, have fun in your life, will ya'?"

"..."

She gave her best winning smile. "So, I'll be off to the Pokemon League then."

"G-Good luck..." I offered, still curious as to why she was still gripping my shoulders. "I'll be waiting back here when you're done."

Hilda's eyes shot open with rage, making me slightly nervous. "What do you mean you'll be waiting?!"

"Exactly that..?"

Hilda huffed and released my shoulders, pushing me backwards in the process. I only barely caught myself from tripping, but before I could even speak, she spoke. "If you'll be waiting anywhere, it's going to be there!" she snapped, pointing her finger in the distance behind her. She wouldn't take her fiery gaze off of me.

"Hilda... You do realize you're pointing at the sky, right?" I asked, somewhat confused.

Hilda seemed only angry at my assertion.

"It's true..."

"That's not what I meant!" she retorted. "Quit being so literal, Cheren!"

"I don't see what you mean," I informed her, looking away.

"You worked for this just as hard as I did," she replied. She then turned her back to me, causing me to look her way again. "I'm going to challenge the Pokemon League, and I expect you to be right behind me when I win against Alder, and then Team Plasma, and then whoever stands in _our _way!" she huffed as she ran off, holding her cap so it wouldn't fall off.

I was baffled and speechless. I raised a hand, almost as if I could catch her. _As if I was waking up from a nightmare. _"Wait!" I called out. "What do you mean?!"

But she was far out of my sight.

I sighed, adjusting my glasses that had shifted out of place when she unintentionally shoved me. "I just don't get her..." I muttered to myself.

"That's because you're too dense, Cheren!"

Alarmed, I turned around to the source of the voice. "Oh... Bianca, you're still here?"

Bianca huffed. "Of course I am!"

"Well, she's your friend," I stated. "Care to explain what she meant?"

Bianca sighed in a defeated fashion. "You really do need to relax," she huffed as she walked back towards Opelucid City.

I turned around back to where Hilda ran off, searching for her figure in the distance. "If 'relaxation' is what I need to gain strength... Then so be it."

* * *

**Author's Notes :**

Hi, I'm actually not sure if I'm going to continue this. Hear me out though! I'm deciding between which two fanfictions I should continue. This one or my other one, The Alternate Outcome, which has been on hiatus for some while. I decided to continue which on gets more appreciation. If you've read both, please tell me which one you're more interested in!

If I do continue this story, the chapters will most definitely be longer!


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